Help with Coral Beauty

[goody]

I picked up this fish yesterday and today it has a white line on its side and it appears to be swollen. Unfortunately, I don't have a quarantine tank, so I'm always at risk when adding new fish. Does this look like it was caused by another tank mate or something else? Other fish are 2 clowns, 2 bangaii cardinals, leopard wrasse and mandarin dragonet.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I picked up this fish yesterday and today it has a white line on its side and it appears to be swollen. Unfortunately, I don't have a quarantine tank, so I'm always at risk when adding new fish. Does this look like it was caused by another tank mate or something else? Other fish are 2 clowns, 2 bangaii cardinals, leopard wrasse and mandarin dragonet.

This is a bacterial issue similar to uronema but not and will need immediate treatment in a separate tank and treated with Seachem Neoplex

 

[goody]

This is a bacterial issue similar to uronema but not and will need immediate treatment in a separate tank and treated with Seachem Neoplex

Thanks for the reply. So I can try and pick up a tank tomorrow, but is that immediate enough? Do I need to be concerned with the other fish and treat them too? Is the neoplex mixed with food or just dosed in the tank?

 

[goody]

And I do have a planted macro tank. Would it be safe to do the treatment in there? I don't want to kill the macros and snails, though.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for the reply. So I can try and pick up a tank tomorrow, but is that immediate enough? Do I need to be concerned with the other fish and treat them too? Is the neoplex mixed with food or just dosed in the tank?

Other fish should be fine and a Quarantine tank can be as simple as a tank from a second hand store or a starter kit from Walmart which most of the needed essentials.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I picked up this fish yesterday and today it has a white line on its side and it appears to be swollen. Unfortunately, I don't have a quarantine tank, so I'm always at risk when adding new fish. Does this look like it was caused by another tank mate or something else? Other fish are 2 clowns, 2 bangaii cardinals, leopard wrasse and mandarin dragonet.

Given the vertical, linear shape and the species involved, I think this is Uronema. That is an internal protozoan disease common in newly acquired fish, mostly wrasses, anthias, butterflies and pygmy angels. Once you see the lesion at the surface of the fish, the damage is already done, down deep in the tissue. I wish I had better news for you, but if this is uronema, it is not treatable. I would let the dealer know and see if they will replace the fish. Luckily, it isn't really contagious to your other fish. Here is an article I wrote on the topic:

Uronema / Red Band Disease - Hemdal

Red Band Syndrome in Marine Fishes: Caused by the Protozoan; Uronema sp. Jay Hemdal Introduction: This moderately common disease of certain species of marine fish is so often misdiagnosed that most aquarists apply incorrect treatment methods...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

 

[MnFish1]

Agree with uronema concern - possible infection in addition?

 

[goody]

Unfortunately, I couldn't catch it last night. Woke up this morning and it was dead. I appreciate the replies. So did this happen in one day from my tank or was it pre-existing? Fish ate at the LFS and didn't have any visible signs. Is Uronema common with Dwarf Angels?

 

[MnFish1]

Unfortunately, I couldn't catch it last night. Woke up this morning and it was dead. I appreciate the replies. So did this happen in one day from my tank or was it pre-existing? Fish ate at the LFS and didn't have any visible signs. Is Uronema common with Dwarf Angels?

sorry.....

 

[MnFish1]

sorry.....

I would analyze what you could have done to have this not happen. Not as an offensive suggestion
Try to think about what could have been differently

 

[goody]

I would analyze what you could have done to have this not happen. Not as an offensive suggestion
Try to think about what could have been differently

Appreciate it, but I guess that's what I would like to hear from others. I watched it eat at the LFS, asked how long they have had it in their system (8-10 days), and acclimated to tank water. So other than needing to setup a quarantine tank, is there something else I should have done? Ask the LFS to hold it for longer period? I'm totally open for suggestions.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Appreciate it, but I guess that's what I would like to hear from others. I watched it eat at the LFS, asked how long they have had it in their system (8-10 days), and acclimated to tank water. So other than needing to setup a quarantine tank, is there something else I should have done? Ask the LFS to hold it for longer period? I'm totally open for suggestions.

Since Uronema remains hidden until it breaks the surface of the fish's skin, there isn't really any way to screen for it.

Having a store hold fish for 30+ days will cause most cases of Uronema to show up on them - but that's one reason dealers don't like to hold fish that long.

 

[goody]

Owner of LFS is saying he will replace it with either a new one coming in Wednesday or one from his personal tank that he has had for awhile. I'm not sure the size of the one from his tank, so not sure if it will work for my 80g. He also said he would hold the one in the shop for a short time because I expressed my concerns of having the same uronema problem.

Moving forward, I can possibly go buy a 10g and set up a QT tank or can put it in my planted tank, but if uronema is something I can't do anything about, would I be treating the water with any meds or just giving it time in a system before adding to my display as cautionary to any disease or parasite?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Owner of LFS is saying he will replace it with either a new one coming in Wednesday or one from his personal tank that he has had for awhile. I'm not sure the size of the one from his tank, so not sure if it will work for my 80g. He also said he would hold the one in the shop for a short time because I expressed my concerns of having the same uronema problem.

Moving forward, I can possibly go buy a 10g and set up a QT tank or can put it in my planted tank, but if uronema is something I can't do anything about, would I be treating the water with any meds or just giving it time in a system before adding to my display as cautionary to any disease or parasite?

I’d go with the one from his personal tank. There are many other problems that newly caught fish can have, including with this species, collection with cyanide that causes latent mortality.